prefatory

Meaning

Adjective

• Serving as a preface or prelude; introductory, preliminary.

Origin

• From Medieval Latin *praefator -ory, from Medieval Latin prefatia (whence preface), for classical Latin praefatio ("a saying beforehand") – see preface for details.
• Note that this is borrowed from Latin, not derived in English from preface, as in occasional misspelling *prefecatory.